ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION IN CHILDREN WITH TETRALOGY OF FALLOT AFTER CARDIOSURGICAL CORRECTION OF CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT

Chrzastek-Spruch H, Polecka B, Sadurska E, Stazka-Gregosiewicz E, Jawniak R,

Department of Paediatrics, Medical University School of Lublin, Poland

 

Material: 34 children (16 boys and 18 girls) with tetralogy of Fallot, aged 2 mths - 16 yrs 9mths. In 88% of cases the defect was detected occasionally in the first month of life. In 17 children (50%) paliative procedures were performed (B - T anastomosis, pulmonary vulvoplasty) at the age 4 days to 3 yrs 8 mths. In 30 children (88%) total correction of the defect was performed at the age of 5 mths - 7 yrs 4 mths.

Results: The echo examination of the heart detected: 1. remaining stenosis on the way of outflow from the right ventricle with the gradient of systolic pressure between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery < 40 mmHg - in 100% of cases, 2. remaining ventricular-septal defect, insignificant haemodynamically in 2 patients (6.6%) and significant haemodynamically in 1 patient (3.3%),  3. pulmonary regurgitation of 1st and 2nd degree in 20 patients (66.6%), 4. tricuspid regurgitation of 1st and 2nd degree in 5 patients (16.6%), 5. anastomosis recanalisation in 1 child (3.3%), 6. left pulmonary artery stenosis in 1 child (3.3%).

Conclusions: 1.Good and very good results of total correction were obtained in 83% of patients. 2.Pulmonary regurgitation was most common remaining anatomical abnormality. 3.Patients with tetralogy of Fallot cadiosurgically corrected require systematic cardiological follow-up evaluation.

 
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